Council hopeful of amenity site move

Council hopeful of amenity site move

12 November 2014

LOCAL politicians have welcomed progress being made on developing a new household recycling centre in Downpatrick.

Down Council has identified a site to build a new £1.2m facility which is expected to open for business in 2016.

It’s understood a site close to the existing civic amenity site at Cloonagh Road has been earmarked as the base for the new facility.

It’s hoped planning permission can be secured to develop the site to provide Downpatrick with a modern household recycling facility similar to those developed in Castlewellan and Ballynahinch.

Confirmation of the progress being made came at last week’s meeting of Down Council’s Environment Committee.

The existing recycling centre at Cloonagh Road is struggling to cope with increasing demand and for health and safety reasons has to be closed when skips require emptying, which frustrates people wanting to use it and leads to tailbacks outside the facility.

The cost of the new Downpatrick facility will have to be financed through the rates as no grant aid is available. Council chairman Billy Walker hopes all the loose ends can be tied up to allow the purchase of the site to be completed and construction work to start.

He said it’s widely recognised the existing Cloonagh Road facility is not big enough to meet demand and that a much larger facility is needed.

“With increasing emphasis on recycling, the Downpatrick facility and its sister operations in Castlewellan and Ballynahinch are set to play increasingly important roles,” suggested the chairman.

Councillor Terry Andrews said he is pleased Down Council’s search for a new site to provide a modern recycling centre in Downpatrick is over.

“This is a very well used facility and one that many people in the greater Downpatrick area rely on. It is struggling to cope and I hope every effort will be made to deliver a new facility as soon as possible,” he said.

“Given the increased emphasis on recycling, I hope the new facility will be designed to cope with not just current, but future demand.”